As public health officials look to increase the vaccination rates among young adults in Niagara, Brock University will be offering the Moderna vaccine to undergraduate and graduate students starting Friday, June 25.
The University is working to ensure students have access to both first and second doses of the Moderna vaccine as part of its campus-wide fall preparations.
All Brock students are eligible to receive the vaccine, which will be administered by staff of the University’s Student Health Services clinic in Harrison Hall. Students do not need to live in the Niagara region to access the clinic, but must be enrolled Brock students (including part-time students and those starting in September). Students living outside of Niagara are encouraged to get vaccinated in their home region prior to the school year beginning.
Students who want to get vaccinated at Brock can register on the Student Wellness and Accessibility website. After registering, students will be contacted with more information on when they should come to the University to receive their vaccine.
Brock University Provost and Vice-President, Academic Lynn Wells said the plan for a return to on-campus instruction and activity requires a high rate of vaccination among all community members.
“As we work toward the gradual resumption of on-campus classes, research, athletics and other extracurricular activities, we are relying on vaccinations to increase throughout the summer months,” Wells said. “Each of us can do our part to help end the pandemic by getting vaccinated as soon as possible.”
“We’re all in this together, both as a university and as a community,” she said. “Being able to offer all Brock students direct access to the vaccine through this on-campus clinic is a very important step in the right direction.”
Following provincial guidelines, the Brock clinic will be administering first doses of the Moderna vaccine to all students who would like to receive it, as well as second doses for those eligible. For information receiving the Moderna vaccine as a second dose, please visit the Province of Ontario’s vaccine website here.
“Throughout this pandemic, persons in their 20s and 30s — the post-secondary student-aged population — have been the highest risk of being infected by COVID-19, and as older groups were vaccinated first, the virus has increasingly concentrated in younger people,” said Dr. Mustafa Hirji, Acting Niagara Region Medical Officer of Health. “Getting vaccinated before returning to class will help protect people in this age group, as well as their friends, family and loved ones.”
Vaccine administration at Brock will begin clinics on Friday, June 25 and Monday, June 28. Additional clinics will be scheduled as required based on student demand.
Students who receive their vaccine at Brock and are also still holding appointments at other community vaccination clinics are encouraged to cancel those additional appointments to free them up for other community members.
“We are very pleased to be working closely with Niagara Region Public Health in order to ensure our students have timely access to vaccines in advance of their return to campus,” said Anna Lathrop, Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President, Students. “Depending upon student demand and vaccine supply, we also anticipate Student Health Services will be able to offer this service to students through the Fall and into the Winter Term.”
Anyone with questions or concerns about whether the COVID-19 vaccine is right for them is encouraged to book an immunization counselling appointment by phoning 905-688-5550 x3243.
To contact the Brock University COVID-19 nurse, email covid19nurse@brocku.ca
In addition to being encouraged to get the vaccine as soon as possible, the Brock community is reminded to continue taking steps to help stop the spread of COVID-19 such as wearing a mask, physical distancing, proper hand hygiene and self-isolating when not feeling well.
